Win a $100 Gift Certificate from AlwaysForMe.com

Hi everybody, and welcome back to the Read My Hips Summer GiveaSway! First, I’d like to congratulate the winner of the Nesco 5-quart ST-25 food steamer: Tammy M. from Waxhaw, NC!

I’d like to talk about fitness for a minute. I used to hate exercise, and if you’ve already gotten through the chapter called “Gym Dandies” in my memoir Read My Hips, then you’re already aware of this fact.

I don’t hate exercise anymore, but I’m still solidly convinced that I’m not a born athlete. I don’t get active because I have a daily, uncontrollable urrrrge to feel my muscles pumping beneath my glistening, sweat-coated skin. N-ooooo, I can’t say that’s an urge I’ve ever experienced. I’m far more likely to crave a cupcake. And a chai latte. And maybe a Slanket and a Bette Davis marathon on Turner Classic Movies.

But in order for me to stay active and get stronger, I needed to find physical activities that felt less like medieval torture, and more like fun. In fact, they had to be so much fun that I’d forget I was exercising.

I find it heartening to see so many women of different shapes, sizes and ages out there getting active. It’s good for us — all of us. It’s something we should do because it makes us physically and emotionally well; not because we’re panting after a random number on a bathroom scale or a dress tag.

And if our bodies change shape or size as a natural result of the physical activity we’re getting, so be it. And if they don’t, so be it, too. If we’re truly engaged in activity for the best possible reasons, we probably won’t notice what it’s doing to our size. We’ll be too busy living lustily — from bike tours to channel surfing, and everything in between.

No one should wait to get active because they feel embarrassed by their body size. And no one should hesitate because they feel too out-of-shape to begin. As long as your physician says it’s safe for you to be active, start moving toward whatever activity appeals to you most. Don’t limit yourself to only activities that you think are “appropriate” for someone of your size or age or gender. Please. Life’s too short. Pursue your bliss.

Take baby steps, and take them without shame. And don’t let anybody rush you or push you to extremes.

What is it with these fitness preachers who insist that no exercise is good exercise unless it’s at least “this much”?

So many of them claim to be advocates for improved health. They claim to be in the service of out-of-shape people. If any of this were true, they would understand that many people cannot do “this much”, and may not be able to do “this much” for quite some time — perhaps never.

If a person tries to do too much on day one, he or she may never show up for day two. How is putting a person in that position in any way a genuine effort to get him or her on the road to improved fitness?

And don’t try to tell me that even ten minutes of light walking once a week won’t give any benefit to someone who’s otherwise completely sedentary. At the very least, it may have mood-elevating effects and help prevent vascualr issues caused by sitting too long.

(You can read more in my memoir Read My Hips, available from your favorite bookseller!)

If you happen to be a fashion-loving, plus size-wearing woman who’s active or beginning to get active, you deserve access to comfortable and attractive activewear. In that spirit, I’m excited to be offering two goodies for active women as this week’s prize package in the Read My Hips Summer GiveaSway. What are they, you say?

First, one lucky winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to AlwaysForMe.com, an online plus size boutique where you can shop for adorable activewear like the pieces you’ve been admiring in this blog post. (They’ve got lingerie, too. Remember, you’re living lustily now.)

Second, as an added bonus, the winner will receive a Black Ice Cooling Collar, an ingenius accessory you wear around your neck to help stay cool, anytime you’re working out. It solidifies in your freezer and will help keep you comfortably cool for hours. I have one myself, and I use it all summer long, as well as during the winter when wearing a heavy coat for indoor shopping.

Wow! A $100 gift certificate from our friends at AlwaysForMe.com, and a Cool Collar from the folks at Black Ice? You know you want to enter. Here’s how:

– your name and mailing address, and
– write the phrase ALWAYS FOR ME in the subject line of your e-mail.
– send the e-mail by midnight EST on Sunday, September 4, 2011. Extended deadline: September 11, 2011.

Other things you should know:

– If you entered to win a different prize in the Read My Hips Summer GiveaSway, you can still enter to win this prize. Even if you were a winner before.
– I won’t share your e-mail or mailing address with anybody else, except, in some cases, the prize provider, for purposes of prize delivery.
– By entering, you agree to give me the right to use your first name and last initial on my blog, on Facebook, Twitter, and via e-mail to others.
– One winner will be selected at random.
– Winner will receive his or her prize by mail within 30 days after winner is announced.
– I will announce the first name and last initial of the winner on my blog on Monday, September 5, 2011, (extended to September 12, 2011) and winner will also be notified by e-mail.

Now remember, the Read My Hips Summer GiveaSway is eight glorious summer weeks of fun and prizes. Each week I’ll announce a new giveaway, right here on the blog! You’ll get to read all about my hijinks from Read My Hips, and you’ll learn how to enter to win the latest and greatest goodies!

So stay tuned to Read My Hips: The Blog all summer long. And meanwhile, keep those hips swaying, take deep and lusty breaths, strut your stuff, and always remain willing to get a little bit smarter every day. Oh — and read wonderful, eye-opening books!

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“(Brittingham’s) path to self-acceptance will make you cheer.” – People Magazine

“With engaging, well-written prose, (Brittingham) encourages readers to live full and healthy lives, regardless of their weight…Brittingham’s style is lively, and her message is powerful.” – Kirkus Reviews

"I just finished reading your book Read My Hips and i have to say it’s the best book i have ever read…I think it saved my life." -- H.

"BRAVO!!! I loved your book. Couldn’t put it down. Superb writing…I would love this book to be a must reading in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade in every middle school in the world. But, wait, why stop there – probably starting in 3rd grade now for girls. As a former middle school Principal, every young girl needs to have this on her bookshelf instead of reading about Cinderella!" — A.

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